We do have an ingrained sense of fairness and resolve that should enable us to pass through this dark period of time. And terrorism is a passing darkness.
Kerry Stokes

The difference in this country between right and left and centre, is in fact much narrower than in most other countries.
Kerry Stokes

We have a history in recent times, when elections of governments are won and lost on the votes of a hundred thousand people. This, in a country of 18 million.
Kerry Stokes

A century ago, the media was limited to newspapers and magazines. No radio, no television, no tools of newsgathering beyond a pencil and notepad.
Kerry Stokes

Some of our greatest advances as a society occurred as a result of vigorous debating of the issues.
Kerry Stokes

Today, we have more media, but are we, as Australians, better enlightened? More informed?
Kerry Stokes

If you believe that we must continue to strive to become a truly multi-cultural society, then you would expect the media to show leadership in these most dangerous of times.
Kerry Stokes

People look to the media to promote debate and consider the broader issues.
Kerry Stokes

[On September 11] This is certainly not what I had in mind when we talked of globalisation.
Kerry Stokes

As communication shrinks this planet, are we also shrinking diversity of opinion? Do we actually end up with just one source?
Kerry Stokes

[In 2001] Minority groups cannot be allowed to be isolated, disenfranchised. They must be heard.
Kerry Stokes

We have to rely on and trust the strength of our democracy. It is these foundations that we have to trust, so that we can listen to minority opinions. Respect them and consider them.
Kerry Stokes

By putting the issues on the table and discussing them, it develops a broader understanding of how to resolve them.
Kerry Stokes

Mahatma Ghandi, best sums up the way I feel towards this. When talking of culture, he said: ‘ I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.’
Kerry Stokes

Twenty years ago, we regarded the Vietnamese refugees as liabilities. Even families who had come here from other countries demonstrated a prejudice. Two decades on, they represent an important part of the future of this country. And I believe this process has enriched our country.
Kerry Stokes

Every problem brings its own opportunity. I encourage us all to create those opportunities.
Kerry Stokes

Let's make a start in trying to find some of the solutions. Let's have some clarity. Perhaps it's time we need to fall back on the very basic, simple and fundamental philosophies that help forge our Federation. Only today, we have better facilities than street corners, or a soapbox.
Kerry Stokes

My challenge to you as people in the media, and to all our leaders, is to set the example and become part of the solution.
Kerry Stokes

Ethics or simple honesty is the building blocks upon which our whole society is based, and business is a part of our society, and it's integral to the practice of being able to conduct business, that you have a set of honest standards. And it's much easier to do business with someone when you look them in the eye and say, "This is what we're going to do," and you understand what you each mean, and you can go away and get it done. If you don't understand what each other means, you end up having to go to two lots of solicitors to get it done.
Kerry Stokes

If you have a difficult message to deliver in any circumstance, it's always best to do it first up-front, and probably be a bit harder than you have to be because it's always easier to be nicer afterwards.
Kerry Stokes

You gain a lot more respect for the people you're involved with when you've been through hard times with them. It's no different to any other personal relationship. If you have a difficult marriage, it's the hard times that make it better. If you have a relationship, it's the hard times that actually make it better, and that goes for life as well.
Kerry Stokes

You gain a lot more respect for the people you're involved with when you've been through hard times with them…
Kerry Stokes

I don't wish hardship on anybody. My background was one of being very difficult, very hard, and they were subject to the times I lived in. I wouldn't wish that on anybody.
Kerry Stokes

I think money's always been pretty important to every individual in Australia in one form or another. But I don't think that we're any more avarice. We've recently been through a set of circumstances where people saw an opportunity to make money for little effort. Those situations always pass. The only way of making money is for effort. The only time I've ever lost money is when I've purposely said, "I'm doing this to make money." And I've actually on three occasions lost significant sums. I have made wealth when I've actually made a contribution to something, when I've done something I thought I could do better than somebody else or have done something better than somebody else does it.
Kerry Stokes

There are no national boundaries, and we have to live within that, and the only alternative to that is to create stronger national presence that's seen to be the equivalent or better than that which comes from overseas. And that's a real challenge, a really big challenge.
Kerry Stokes

I don't have the solutions. Just suggestions to how we can start the journey to find them.
Kerry Stokes